The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #173698   Message #4212641
Posted By: GUEST,Charles Macfarlane
01-Dec-24 - 01:32 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Cilla Fisher: False Lover Won Back
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cilla Fisher: False Lover Won Back
Note that there's a version of this song, but to a different tune, on Malinky's "Three Ravens" album, dating from the line-up with Karine Polwart. The album's sleeve notes on the song read:

"The False Lover Won Back
(words & music : trad arr. Malinky)

Karine set the lyrics to the pipe march "Mary's Dream", which she learned from ace piper Mike Katz. The lyrics she found in the Grieg-Duncan collection (which inspired our first album "Last Leaves"). And when she finally checked out Cilla & Artie's version of "Billy Taylor" (thanks to Steve being at Mark's house, seeing Mark's fiancée Islay's Mum's bloke Dave's record collection - follow?!) she found this song on the same album (learned from Jimmy Hutchison of South Uist). Spooky! Thanks to them for singing good songs in the first place. Thanks also to Harry F. from Sparks, Nevada."

I prefer C&A's version of the tune, though. My only gripe about that and the earlier "Last Leaves" Malinky albums is the fact that they changed the tunes of a number of well known traditional songs - "False Lover Won Back", "The Rovin' Ploughboy", and "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie" - and, while their tunes are fine and well arranged and harmonised, simply I prefer the originals that I've known from my earliest childhood. Despite this, they are my favourite Malinky albums, as well as my favourite of any albums featuring Karine - it was literally a very creative and harmonious line-up.